


Restoration

by JokersMaze



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: F/M, Future Foundation, Post-Despair, SDR2 Spoilers, Sondam - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-03
Updated: 2014-04-14
Packaged: 2018-01-14 09:25:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1261249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JokersMaze/pseuds/JokersMaze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The survivors of the New World Program wake up and miraculously retain their memories of the island. However, something seems very, very wrong.</p><p>Series that takes place after the events of SDR2.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings readers,
> 
> This is my first ever fanfiction. Any comments or criticism you have are welcome to be posted if they will help me improve my future writings.  
> I plan for this series to continue for (at least) several more chapters.
> 
> Regards,  
> JokersMaze

_Tanaka-san’s last words… “do not give up on life”…_

_… I won’t give up. I’ll fight until the end!_

_… so… Tanaka-san… please watch over me._

It was unnaturally dark when she first opened her eyes. _Perhaps I’ve died._ Sonia thought. _Perhaps I am moving on to the next life at this very moment._ Her thoughts were cloudy. She couldn’t remember what had happened to her.

She felt that her body was lying flat on some hard surface. Her arms were folded gently over her chest. A pulsing noise emitted from the area and vaguely, in the background, she thought she heard voices. Amid the darkness, she made out faint lights. 

 _Oh._ Her eyes fixed on the light greeting her. _I remember those Japanese shows I saw… when someone was dying, someone else would yell ‘don’t go towards the light’. Is this the light I am to avoid?_ She closed her eyes and relaxed after the lights vanished.

 _No, that’s not quite right. If I close my eyes, the lights are supposed to stay are they not?_ She tested her theory, opening and closing her eyes several times. _Perhaps I’m doing something wrong. I never fully understood Japanese either way. Hinata-san promised me-_

Hinata. Hi-na-ta. Hinata Hajime.

The memories crashed upon her like a wave.

She remembered who she was. She remembered tying her parents up and sending them off to Junko for unspeakable amounts of torture. She remembered sending her country into civil war, laughing cruelly as mobs of civilians called for her head, only to be cut down mercilessly by guards. And most particularly, she remembered the first round of students that had participated in the despair-inducing game at Hope’s Peak.

But along with that, she remembered the island. She realized now that the children she had met there were different from the ones she had known in reality. She recalled how Hanamura, right before his execution, had cried for information on what had happened to his mother and to their restaurant. Bitterly, she now knew why Monokuma hadn’t said a thing.

It was because Hanamura, in his despair filled state, had cut down his mother with his own hands, and burned down their establishment soon after.

She relived the terror-filled atmosphere when they had first discovered Togami’s body, the shock on everyone’s faces each time another victim was found, and the twisted smile on Tsumiki’s face after she had been called out at the third trial. She recalled Tanaka’s bold, confident voice as he told Monokuma to begin his execution. And the way she had begged for Monokuma to spare him.

At the final trial her body had felt so heavy. She was sinking into a sea of desperation, ready to let the numb pain overtake her. She didn’t want to be trapped anymore, in the endless cycle of hope and despair.

But then there was Hinata. His light had pulled them all out in the end. They chose to forcibly shutdown the New World Program, and so here she was.

Her body shuddered with the sudden realizations. She felt pins and needles all over as blood began to circulate within her. It felt so intense that Sonia hesitated before moving again.  

The translucent green surface confining her quickly opened with a hiss. Cold air rushed in and mixed with the comfortable temperature of the pod. A face with greenish-grey eyes and brown hair loomed over her.

“Sonia-san? Can you hear me?” he asked. She recognized his face. He was a member of the Future Foundation, one of the three who had come in to save them.

“Naegi… san?” she whispered. Her voice was hoarse from the lack of use.

His face lit up. “Do you know where you are? What can you remember?” She sat up and winced as the prickly feeling overcame her again.

They were in a dark, quiet area. The pulsing noise she had heard earlier came from a machine in the center of the room, covered with glowing lights. Radiating from that machine were several pods that looked identical to the one she was in. Some were open and held drowsy, confused classmates.

“Sonia-san?” Naegi repeated. She opened her mouth and tried to speak but found that her voice failed her. She motioned with her hands that her throat was parched. “Ah! I’m sorry. I’ll be right back, don’t move okay?” Sonia nodded quietly and looked around.

In the pod to her left lay Saionji. The girl’s sleeping face lacked all signs of her prior immaturity. Her hair had been untied and fanned around her in messy waves, opposing her grace as a dancer. Grimly, Sonia wondered if another sarcastic comment would ever come out of the girl’s lips.

The pod to her right was open, and in it sat Souda. His hands were on his head and he seemed to be contemplating if this was reality. When she glanced at his face, his gaze shot up and he made eye contact with her.

For a moment, the two just sat there in mutual understanding, unable to speak. Then, Naegi returned with several bottles of water in hand. He opened two of them and handed them to Sonia and Souda. Sonia drank thirstily, grateful for the refreshing effect it offered. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Souda do the same.

She recapped the bottle after a short while and attempted a small smile. “Thank you, Naegi-san.”

“It’s my pleasure. Could you tell me what you remember?

Her head throbbed slightly. “I remember the island.” Naegi looked surprised. He turned to Souda and asked if he could recall it as well.

“Well, yeah.” he muttered after clearing his throat. “It’s kinda strange. I thought… I thought that we would forget everything.”

“You were supposed to,” said Naegi. “I mean, that’s what we believed would happen. The data never left the machine, so it shouldn’t have been moved to your memories…” He stared at the central machine, deep in thought, then stood up straighter and turned to walk away. “Excuse me for a moment-“

“No need, Naegi-kun.” Kirigiri stood behind him, arms crossed. “It is the same with all the other students as well.”

Naegi relaxed. “I see…”

Togami walked over from the other side of the room, adjusting his glasses. “Well Naegi? What do you propose we do?”

“I… don’t know. For now,” he looked up at Sonia. “Sonia-san, can you walk?”

She glanced down at her own legs, perplexed, and shook her head. “I am unsure.” Her limbs ached from the lack of movement. Naegi offered her his hand for support and she took it carefully as she gingerly stepped out of the pod. She attempted to take a step on shaky legs, and ended up falling forward onto Naegi. Souda jumped to help her when this happened, but Sonia knew that he, most likely, wasn’t any better off.  Kirigiri helped her steady herself, and she was relieved that she could at least stand up.

“It will be a while before your body can function properly again. In the meantime, I would recommend that you do not push yourself too hard.”

Sonia nodded silently in response.

“Then, please wait here as we examine the others. We’ll help you get settled in a bit.” And with that, Naegi lowered her back into her pod and left with Togami and Kirigiri to survey her other classmates.

Sonia pulled her knees up to her chest. She wondered how long it would be before she could feel content again. She wanted to be back on that beach, laughing and dancing with the others, watching fireworks explode into beautiful colors against the night sky. She just wanted everyone to be there. That would be enough for her.

Looking across the room, she thought she saw a familiar purple scarf wrapped around the neck of a comatose student.

It would be a while before she stopped feeling empty inside.


	2. Adaptation

Several weeks had passed since Sonia had first come out of her pod. She was improving her motor skills, now able to walk effortly although not for long distances. The rooms around the facility had been renovated to suitable living environments, and all of them had settled down quite fine by now. “All of them” being the students that had woken up of course. The comatose kids were still unresponsive to stimuli.

Sonia sat in the cafeteria, aimlessly sipping at her tea. It was white winter tea, her favorite. She wondered how the Future Foundation had gotten a hold of any, seeing as how her country was plagued with chaos. Imports and exports should have been cut off a while ago.

She peered down into her delicate porcelain cup. The tea leaves at the bottom were withering. _Withering away just like the people who grew them_ , she thought. She imagined a blaze burning down the plantation, the owners brutally impaled upon pitchforks by frustrated, faceless men.

A figure suddenly sat down in the seat across from her.

“Oi. Sonia-san, are you doing alright?” Sonia looked up and saw Souda’s calm face staring back at her. He wasn’t the same as he had been in the simulation. Whether this was because of the despair or the events on the island, she did not know.

Her lips formed a polite smile. It was one of the requirements of being royalty. Not that it mattered now, anyways. “I’m fine, Souda-san. Thank you for asking.”

Souda’s eyes turned dark and he looked down at the table. “Quit screwing around.” Sonia tensed a bit in surprise. “We both know nothing’s fine right now.”

She, too, lowered her gaze. It was true, what he had said. None of their comatose friends had awoken, even after almost two months. Their hopes for a miracle were fading. Among the sleeping children was Tanaka Gundam, the boy who had sacrificed himself so that the others would not pitifully starve.

It felt different without his presence. She deeply wished for him to show up when Souda did, to sweep her away and leave a very brokenhearted Souda behind. It wasn’t that she enjoyed his pain, but Tanaka offered an easy escape to Souda’s constant worship.

She often went to visit him in the late hours of the afternoon. She had promised that she would watch over him, like he had over her back in the program. Sometimes she saw Kuzuryuu there, eyes focused on Peko’s still body. They greeted each other politely, then grieved in silence until one of them got up to leave.

Sonia recalled how one time, she had seen Owari visiting Nidai as well. She did not see the gymnast very often, although Sonia had heard that she was usually off training somewhere. The occasional time she _had_ shown up, her eyes were red and her voice was raspy.

“They’re allergies,” she pretended. “Stupid fucking island. With all of its dumb plants and exotic animals.” Sonia’s serene expression faltered for a moment. She remembered how Tanaka had complained about the lack of wildlife in the simulation, and thought how he would appreciate the diversity of the real island.

_If only he were awake,_ she thought. _I bet he would love it here._

Owari, noticing her mistake, bowed her head and muttered out something like an apology before walking over to Nidai’s vessel. It was then that Sonia noticed she had been holding a bundle of clean, white flowers. Tenderly, Owari placed them above Nidai’s chest and knelt down beside him.

“Hey, old man.” Owari’s voice was so quiet that Sonia struggled to make out what she was saying. “While you’ve been over here dozing off I’ve been training hard. If you don’t wake up soon I’ll pass right by you. I’ll be the coach and you can be my athlete, and you wouldn’t want that would you?”

As she stood up, Sonia noticed how much muscle she had regained.

Owari’s health had significantly improved since they had first awoken. When she originally stepped out of her pod, everyone gasped in shock at her malnourishment. Her ribs were prominent and her limbs seemed thin and frail. She was unable to stand on her own and had collapsed almost immediately after being released. Her mind was in a state of shock from the sudden transference into such a deprived body.

Owari wasn’t the only one who had experienced the after effects.

Following Pekoyama’s execution, Kuzuryuu’s right eye had been deemed unusable and had been removed from its socket in the simulation. When Kuzuryuu awoke in the real world however, he had reported feeling a strange discomfort in its place. After being offered a mirror he was met with the sight of Junko’s bloody, mangled eye in place of his own. Unfunctional, it drifted aimlessly in random directions.

The Future Foundation had offered to remove it and Kuzuryuu had taken the proposition without a second thought. He was much more comfortable in his dragon-styled eyepatch anyways and felt reassured that the mastermind’s eye was no longer part of his system.

Hinata, on the other hand, had no such option.

He had awoken in the body of Kamakura Izuru, which had not reverted to its prior state. His hair remained jet black and his eyes glowed a malicious red. The Future Foundation, which had been unsure of his stability given his experimental mind, had kept him under close watch for three days before finally deciding that he was, in fact, _not_ Kamakura Izuru and had let him roam free like the others.

Hinata had cut and restyled his hair, but nothing could be done about its natural color. He had hoped that it was a temporary thing, and that his body would follow his mind and revert to its original state. Although, at this point, it seemed that no one’s hopes would ever come true.

Sonia went back to lazily stirring at her tea. She took notice of how Souda’s hair, without its dye, had returned to its innate shade of black. He still wore his hot pink contacts,  although Sonia believed that this was because they had arrived on the island without any conscious notice, and hence Souda had not brought his glasses with him.

Souda pulled a tattered binder out of his bag and began to carefully flip through it.

“What’s that?” Sonia asked inquisitively.

“This?” He pointed to the binder. She nodded and he continued. “It’s all my old blueprints back from when we were… y’know. The Foundation guys gave it to me. Thought it might help me “come to terms” with my past self.” He turned another page. “Look at this stuff…”

Inside were drawings of several death machines. Sonia recognized several of them from the class at Hope’s Peak. There was Leon’s execution, with mechanics drawn out on how to get the collar to grab him from the trial. Celeste’s execution had been given considerably less thought, seeing as how it was a mere firetruck. Sonia was shocked to see the plans for Kirigiri and Naegi’s executions, although both had obviously failed. Souda hadn’t been able to do anything about Alter Ego. He was a mechanic, not a programmer.

“Souda-san, do you not find it strange…” she murmured.

“What?”

“The very students we tried to make despair, you even made their death traps, ended up saving us from that corrupted game. No, they wanted to save us in general.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “Why would anyone ever do that?”

He shrugged. “Well, I guess it’s that hope shit they were talking about. It’s a miracle we woke up at all, let alone get our memories back. Let ‘em keep dreaming is what I say.”

“Sonia-san! Souda-san!” a voice called from across the room.

Naegi quickly ran over to their table. “What is it Naegi-san?” Sonia inquired.

“We’ve found… a way…” Naegi spoke inbetween breaths. Souda told him to sit down and catch his breath first, which he gladly did. After a while, he leaned forward and put his elbows on the table.

“Sorry. Anyway, we’ve found a way to export Nanami’s personality out of the program, however-“

“Excuse me Naegi-san, but… who is this ‘Nanami’ you speak of?” Sonia and Souda both looked perplexed. Naegi looked back at them, confused.

“Nanami Chiaki…the ultimate gamer…don’t you guys remember her? She was in the New World Program with the rest of you so she should be in your memories of the island! Hang on a second,” He brought a small tablet out of his pocket and pulled up a picture of a girl with short, light pink hair and pale pink eyes. “Look! Don’t you guys recognize her at all?”

“That girl…” Souda began. “I’ve never seen her before in my life.”


	3. Recollections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings readers,
> 
> Apologies for taking so much of this chapter from the actual game. I found it necessary to have the survivors relive major parts of the simulation for the story to progress properly. I am also attempting to write longer chapters, so please bear with me if chapters are not published as quickly from now on.
> 
> Regards,  
> JokersMaze

Naegi had quickly rounded up the other students and Future Foundation members and led them all into a basic meeting room. It had several windows each framed by red, luxurious curtains and the floor was covered in smooth, polished wood. In the center of the room was a long mahogany table surrounded by eight matching chairs. Naegi took his seat at the head of the table and began.

“Nanami Chiaki. Does that name sound familiar to any of you at all?” The group answered with a shake of their heads. “I see… Hinata-san, even you?”

“I’ve never heard of this Nanami Chiaki, or whoever you’re talking about, before. She doesn’t look like anyone I know.” Hinata’s gaze unnerved Naegi. Although his mind had been restored, Kamakura’s threatening presence still leered in his being.

Togami scoffed. “All that time together and you people can’t even remember her face. There must be a major flaw with your memories then. We’ll have to recheck your reliability.” He pushed his chair back and stood up. “Well, no point in wasting time. Quickly-“

“Wait.” Kirigiri interjected.  “Don’t be so hasty. They may just be lacking memories specific to Nanami.”

Owari slammed her fists on the table. “We’re telling you we’ve never heard of this ‘Nanami’ person before so stop insisting we have! It was just the fifteen of us on that island and that’s it!”

“Fifteen of you…” Kirigiri stroked her chin in thought. So that was it. Not only had they forgotten her, but their memories together had been altered. “Sonia-san, do you remember who it was that helped Tanaka-san get his earring back before the first trial?”

“Devil dog earring.” she corrected. “And, no one helped Tanaka-san. I remember him searching for it by himself.”

“That’s rather interesting.” Togami reached into his back pocket and pulled out a tablet similar to the one Naegi had. He pressed a simple looking button on the side and a progress bar appeared on the screen. Shortly after, a feminine looking face with short tan hair and innocent brown eyes popped up.

“Hello Togami-san! Is there anything I can do for you?” it said with a smile.

“Alter Ego,” Togami seemed uncaring of the A.I.’s friendly greeting. “Load up all video files from the New World Program involving Nanami Chiaki.” After the escape of the survivors, a speech recognition program had been installed into the system to allow better communication with Alter Ego. It seemed as well that Alter Ego was now able to recognize voices and faces, hence the greeting he had given Togami.

“Okay, one moment please.” The cyber-student turned and seemed to be typing on some unseen keyboard to the side. “Ahh… there are a lot of files here, do you want anything specific?”

Togami turned the tablet so that the room was visible to the camera. “O-oi. Is it really alright, letting that… _thing_ see us?” said Souda. He seemed creeped out with the idea of being watched by a program. After all it was the same program that had foiled his executions back when they were Despair. Togami let out an irritated sound and pointed at the screen.

“This _thing_ as you so crudely put it, is the very person that prevented you from being entirely corrupted by Enoshima’s virus. Scum like you should be more grateful for what you have.” Souda shot him a deadly glare.

“U-um, please don’t fight over me. I’m s-sorry…” The avatar seemed to be tearing up as it spoke.

“Anyways,” said Kirigiri, preventing any further conflict. “Anything with the survivors would be good. We’re trying to restore their memories so use your best judgment.” Alter Ego sniffled then went back to searching. The clattering of keys could be heard. After a few moments a video appeared on the screen, ready to be played.

“Here’s the end of the fifth class trial. It has everyone and Nanami s-so, I hope it’s what you wanted.” Togami pressed another button and a large hologram was projected over the table. Everyone watched intently as the file began to play.

_“The traitor from the Future Foudnation, and the murderer of Komaeda Nagito is… Nanami Chiaki!” exclaimed Monokuma._

_“So we really… got it right…”_

_“Nanami was the traitor… and Komaeda trusted his luck to pick the right person…”_

_“All of it was… true?”_

_“And… Komaeda, that little shit, his plan worked…”_

_The camera flickered to Nanami, who stood there unfazed. Her face held an honest smile._ _“Congratulations, guys.”_

 “ _Don’t congratulate us… idiot!”_

_“Nanami, just tell us one thing… are you really a part of the ‘Future Foundation’, who trapped us in here?Is that really… your true identity?”_

_She looked down sadly._

_“… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”_

_“I cannot believe it! I do not want to believe it! But… I have to, do I not?”_

_“I’m sorry… I wish I could have told you earlier but I couldn’t, no matter how hard I tried… I can’t betray the Future Foundation…”_

_“You… can’t betray them?”_

_“No matter how much you guys want to fly through the sky, you can’t fly, can you? Even if you want to breathe underwater, you can’t, can you? It’s the same as that… this is the only way for me to exist… I cannot ever betray the Future Foundation.”_

_“What does that… but you ended up betraying them anyway…”_

_“…”_

_“… haha I guess that’s true.” Her face still retained her unrelenting smile._

_“How can you laugh at a time like this…”_

_“…it’s strange. I don’t have any regrets. Actually I… I feel proud, that I want to protect you guys this much. So… I’m proud of what I’ve done.”_

_“I don’t get it… even if we ask you questions, you can’t answer, can you?Like why you’re in the Future Foundation in the first place…”_

_“… I’m sorry.” It was not her impending death that seemed to upset her the most. Rather, it was the fact that she was unable to further assist them in their journey._

_“Na-nanami-san, even if you are the traitor… we do not feel that we have been betrayed by you. Nanami-san… you will always be our friend. You are our friend now.”_

_“We have no intention of accusing you! So do not apologize!”_

_“…”_

And with that, the hologram flickered away. Naegi, Kirigiri and Togami sat in respectful silence as they awaited the responses of the students. They had seen the event unfold once before and were merely revisiting it. Kuzuryuu was the first to speak.

“Is that… can it really be us?” His voice was shaky with disbelief. “Could we really have gotten so attached to someone we don’t even remember?”

“You sure it’s even real?” Souda murmured. “I mean…” He didn’t finish his sentence. Everyone in the room knew for a fact that the Future Foundation would never create a lie like that. It had to be real, it had to have _actually_ happened.

Owari’s voice was a whisper. Her eyes were wide. “What the hell…? Then why? Why can’t we… remember her…?” The room once more filled with silence. Naegi and the others had no answer for them. In fact, Naegi and the others hadn’t even known they had forgotten her until just an hour ago. “She… she wasn’t even on the island. How could she have been in the trial…?”  Kirigiri opened her eyes and sat up in her chair.

“If I may ask, who was selected as the culprit for the fifth trial?” she inquired.  There was a brief pause before anyone answered.

“No one,” said Sonia. “It was deemed a suicide by Komaeda-san. He lost his grip on the rope and… when we found him… he had already died from blood loss. Therefore no one was the murderer.”

“Who would’ve thought,” said Hinata. “That things were actually so complicated. Also, something’s been bothering me for a while now. I don’t know if anyone remembers, but why… why do I look so distraught over her?” His brows furrowed in annoyance at being unable to recall their relationship. _Nanami Chiaki._ he thought. _Nanami Chiaki, Nanami Chiaki, Nanami Chiaki._ He repeated the name over and over in his head, hoping that a memory would pop up. Nothing came to him and he let out a frustrated growl. He had looked so troubled in the video. Had she dragged him into being Ultimate Despair? Was she his downfall, his enemy?

“U-um…” Alter Ego’s voice echoed throughout the room. His hologram appeared above the table, seemingly addressing Hinata. “The Future Foundation only had access to video from the surveillance cameras, but since I was present throughout the entire program, I may have access to data they could not see. W-would you like me to show you?”

“If it helps us clear up this mystery, please do.” answered Hinata.

Alter Ego’s face was replaced by a second video, although this one did not appear to be taking place in a trial room or on another part of the island. Instead, the background looked like empty space with stray pixels floating around everywhere. Hinata’s avatar seemed to be floating effortlessly on the left, while Nanami met his gaze facing him on the right. The sound was clear when Hinata first spoke, but the voice sounded doubtful.

_“Nanami? Why are you here…?”_

_“…hmm, why I wonder?”_

_“You’re the Nanami from my memories, right? But… you died…”_

_“…”_

_“Whatever, that’s fine. Those guys are being unreasonable… don’t you think? Talking about the world being destroyed… and us sacrificing ourselves… I couldn’t make a choice like that… there’s no way I could choose.”_

_“…”_

_“It’s cruel… getting me caught up in a situation I don’t even understand… Not only are they forcing me to admit I have no talents, if I leave here I’ll be called ‘Ultimate Despair’. And on top of all of that, they said I’d die…? I don’t get it.”_

_“…”_

_“Hey… you must hate it too, right? If all of us lose our memories, you’ll be gone from existence. You won’t even remain in our memories, you’ll fade away completely…”_

_“… I won’t fade away.”_

_“…?”_

_“Even if my ‘existence’ fades away, and even if you all forget about me… even if that happens, I won’t fade away completely. As long as all of you are moving forward, towards the future that I made with you, I won’t vanish. The things I lived for, fought for, and staked my life on will all remain there.”_

_“…”_

The video vanished and Alter Ego reappeared shortly after. “A-Ah, there’s more to the file but I thought that would suffice for now…” Naegi, Kirigiri and Togami were just as stunned as the others were. They hadn’t seen that file prior to this. At the time that it had occurred, they themselves had been in the simulation, fighting with Enoshima at the final trial.  

“This is interesting…” said Kirigiri, finally. “When we activated the forced shutdown, all your memories of the island should have disappeared. That is most likely why you told Nanami she would vanish. However, instead of disappearing…”

“… your memories were altered so that Nanami never existed in the first place.” finished Naegi.

“Yes, I believe we’ve established that already you useless trash.” uttered Togami, shaking himself out of his surprise. “Now the real question is, by what or _whom_ and why? Alter Ego, any knowledge?”

“U-um,” it stammered. “It’ll take me a while to go through all the data. I did notice something weird when the program was first shut down, but, I thought it was just their memories being transferred. I-I’m sorry I can’t be more of a help.” The A.I. was in tears again, disappointed in itself although no one had expected answers in the first place.

“That’s fine.” Kirigiri cleared her throat and stood up. “In the meantime, let me go back to what Naegi wanted to say earlier. It’s somewhat related, but at this point I’m not sure if we should go through with it.” She took a moment to pause and look at Naegi. “We’ve discovered a way to export Nanami’s personality from the remnants of the New World Program. However, we are currently lacking a vessel for her.” She pulled her own tablet out of her pocket and typed a few commands into it. Digital blueprints appeared above the table, pushing Alter Ego to the side. Souda’s eyes widened as the details of the blueprints loaded into view.

“H-hey. I recognize this design. The wiring is like the kind Nidai had in his robot form back in the game. You’re not thinking of making a synthetic body are ya?”

“That is precisely what we are proposing.” Kirigiri added another layer of text and labels. “We plan to make an android for Nanami’s consciousness to possess. Originally this was just an opportunistic project. But, seeing the current circumstances, she may be able to help clarify the actual events of the island.”

Sonia raised her hand to interject. “Kirigiri-san, please let me ask… if it is possible to transfer personalities out of the program, why have our friends not been restored to their bodies? Should it not be the same process?” Alter Ego once again reappeared with an answer.

“Well,” it began. “It’s not exactly… that simple. Nanami’s data isn’t just stored in the program, she’s part of the program itself. When she was executed in the fifth trial, her avatar just returned to its original storage slot back in the structural data. She must have fought her way back out in order to speak with Hinata… I wonder how…” It pondered for a moment.  “On the other hand, your friends were only temporary transfers into the machine. We never planned for their avatars to be destroyed, and the program in the first place was only a prototype… there was no place for them to go. Their consciousness broke apart and scattered into various files. That being said, I could recover bits and pieces of them, but Enoshima would fill the empty spots. I-I’m sorry but you know we can’t take that risk…”

They all nodded grimly in agreement. There was no telling what would happen if the mastermind was released back into the world. It was good enough that they had survived in the first place, so there was no point in taking such a huge gamble for such a small reward.

Kirigiri closed the hologram down and Alter Ego jumped back into her tablet. “Anyways, that should be all for today.” She looked down to address the A.I. “Your job here is done. Good work.”

The program looked at her anxiously, then relaxed a bit. “Y-yeah. I’ll get to reading the transfer data now. Bye guys…” It flickered away shortly after.

Togami, who had been standing the entire time, adjusted his glasses. “We’ll meet in here tomorrow, after Alter Ego has had the chance to do some analysis. In the meantime, I would recommend you all to check your memories with one another. It would be easier if there were some consistencies there, at least.”

“Then… I guess, meeting adjourned.” said Naegi.

As everyone filed out of the room, Naegi stayed behind and pulled Hinata to the side.

“I know you must be confused right now, but, I promise, when this android is finished, you and her can get caught up, alright?” Hinata’s eyes darkened and Naegi saw traces of Kamakura. _“Who cares,”_ he expected Hinata to say. _“This world is boring anyways. All of you, all of this, boring boring boring. I couldn’t care less what happens to you or Nanami.”_ He was relieved when Hinata opened his mouth and those weren’t the words that came out.

“Okay. I hope all of this gets cleared up soon.”

Naegi swallowed and nodded. “Me too, Hinata-san. Me too.”

 

* * *

 

Outside the meeting room, Owari took off running. She didn’t know where she was going, or why she was running in the first place, all she knew was that she needed to get away from all of this. She shoved her way through the door at the end of the hallway and let out a sigh of relief when the refreshing island air hit her face.

During the day, the island air was hot and difficult to work with, but the sun had began to set and the temperatures seemed to cool to a workable degree. She decided in her head that she would just run a loop around the current island to try and relax. Her legs kept a fast pace as she sped past the various buildings of the Future Foundation and finally broke onto a deserted road.

_At last, some peace and quiet,_ she thought to herself. _No more of that fancy chatter from those guys in suits. What the hell do they know anyway?_

She ground her teeth in frustration. Her hair blew recklessly in several directions. She focused her attention on trying to keep a steady pace, a weak attempt to keep her mind off of other things. _Goddamnit, Nidai… why… why did you save me? Why couldn’t you just let me die back there? Would things be different if you had?_ She shook her head and looked around frantically. Anything, she had to think about anything but that.

She could hear the crashing of the ocean waves to her right. The sandy beach looked as pristine as ever with its soft ripples and occasional palm trees. Her steps made crunching noises as she ran on the rough dirt road. The islands were not entirely uninhabited, as they had been in the simulation. Though the population was not plentiful, there were still quite a few locals around. Most of them ran small shops or were self-sufficient with their lives. She stopped for a moment when she reached the bridge to the second island. She hadn’t explored it very much yet. Hesitant, she veered from her current path onto the wooden bridge and set off running again.

In reality there were no school ruins on the island. The asphalt roads still remained but the urban buildings they had seen weren’t real. It was, instead, a very rural community, with an old pharmacy instead of the futuristic one that had been depicted. She ran parallel to the shops that lined the streets, catching the stares of civilians as she hurled past them. She tried to take in as much of her environment as she could, looking at the names of the stores and what they offered. When she read something that caught her eye, she gradually slowed her pace to a halt, then backtracked.

“Massage parlor, huh.” she said outloud. She hadn’t felt the effects of one in a while. Nidai had given them to her back in the simulation, but her body in reality hadn’t replicated the motions. She pulled open the old glass doors and walked inside.

“Hello ma’am,” greeted the worker at the desk. “How may I help you today?” The woman’s smile seemed too friendly, too fake.

“I’m here for a massage…?” said Owari cautiously. She thought it was obvious what she was here for.

“Certainly. Do you have an appointment?” Owari froze up.

_Appointment?_ _What, are you so busy on this damn island that I need a fucking reservation?_ “I, er… no.” she finally answered.

“That’s fine then. We have some available spots anyways. There should be an open room at the very end of the hallway, go there and lie down and someone will meet with you shortly.” Owari paid the woman and strode down the hall. The Foundation had given them some spending money after they had woken up to become used to life on the island. _Not that it should matter to them anyways. Rich fucks._ she thought.

In the room was a simple cushioned table. Owari unbuttoned her shirt, took off her tanktop, and set both on the smaller table next to it. She layed down, closed her eyes, and rested her head on her arms. Moments later, a younger, black-haired female walked into the room. She was dressed in a simple white t-shirt and white pants and jumped when she saw Owari half-naked on the table.

“E-eek! U-uh, miss, we don’t- we don’t do happy endings here!” she exclaimed. Owari lazily opened her eyes to look at the panicking girl.

“Huh? Look I don’t know what this ‘happy ending’ shit you’re talking about is, but I came in here for a damn massage. And if you’re not going to give me one, whatever, I’ll take my money back and leave.” The girl relaxed a bit but still looked anxious.

“A-alright.” she stammered. She nervously stepped over to Owari’s side and placed her hands on her back. Gently, she pressed her palms in and began kneading the knots. _This is okay,_ thought Owari. _Still… nothing like old man Nidai’s stuff…_ Nidai had been rougher with his treatment and much more effective. Even now with the girl pressing as hard as she could on Owari’s back, it was not enough to even graze the deep knots of her muscles.

After about twenty minutes, Owari mumbled, “Enough already.” The girl pulled back in surprise.

“E-eh? But m-miss, you paid for an hour long session!”

Owari slowly sat up on the table and reached to put on her clothing. “It’s fine. Keep the money. It’s just not the same as what I hoped it would be…”

The girl stared down at her feet sadly. “I-I’m sorry my performance was not to your liking…” Owari looked at the girl while buttoning up her shirt. She wondered if the masseuse would be punished for not satisfying a customer. For once, she felt strangely sympathetic.

“Look, just tell your boss or something that I remembered something and had to leave real fast. That way you won’t get in trouble okay?” The gentleness of her own voice surprised her. She had become too soft, too frail, too weak, both physically _and_ mentally. She would have to regain her strength before Nidai saw her again. “It’s not your fault anyways. Let’s just say this tension of mine is chronic and can only be relieved by a very special someone.” she said.

As she walked out of the room, another line appeared in her head, but she didn’t bother saying it out loud.

_That very special someone will not be waking up for a long, long time._  

 


	4. Homecoming

Tanaka breathed in the frosty air. It was the first week of spring. The fragile new buds of life had just begun poking out of the icy earth, and gently competed with each other for room to grow. The barren trees were preparing new leaves to replenish their empty branches. The ground was softening, free of the cold that hardened it to the core. The arrival of spring meant that soon, new life was to be found.

His boots crunched against the rough soil. He carefully avoided stepping on any delicate blooms. He was not a botanist, but it would be interesting to see how the animals of the forest would interact with these young plants. This environment was still unknown to him. Many of the plants he could not identify, so how was he supposed to provide information on the animals here? He crouched down and perched himself over a particularly strange sprout. It was no more than a few inches from the ground, but its stem was split into four, creating a peculiar cross pattern. Tanaka wondered what it would look like when fully matured.

Distantly, Tanaka heard soft footfalls. He stood up and looked around cautiously. If it was a mother bear with her cub, he would have to be more careful with his next actions. He drew slow deep breaths to calm himself and tone down his presence. What poked its head around the trunk of the tree was not a mother bear, but instead a doe and her fawn. The fawn looked to be around two weeks old and looked curiously at Tanaka. Slowly he reached out his right hand and began his chant of “It’s okay. You’re alright. Everything’s fine.”

Although the fawn seemed hesistant at first, it slowly stepped forward and began to sniff Tanaka’s fingers. The mother followed behind it. Tanaka allowed them time to become acquainted with him before lightly stroking the top of the fawn’s head.  The fawn leaned in to his touch and soon Tanaka had both deer rubbing up against him.

The loud _snap_ of a breaking branch startled the animals and they jumped up, alert. Tanaka protectively shielded them with his arms. He was not one to mess with the dog-eat-dog methods of nature, but he had not yet recorded the statistics of these two and was not willing to feed them to predators so easily. The snapping of the branches grew closer and closer. Tanaka began to doubt that it was a predator, for no creature would walk this rambunctiously up to its next meal. The deer, full of fear and panic, leapt from their places by Tanaka’s side and bounded off into the forest. Tanaka sighed. It was such a shame. He was ready to investigate the source of the commotion when a figure stepped out into view.

It was, in fact, no mere animal. A young girl stood there, looking around. She was dressed in a simple green and white dress with a large red ribbon over her chest. The red ribbon was topped with an elegant looking blue jewel and was tied under the dress’s collar. Her blonde hair fell down to her knees and was held in a braid by a lovely black bow. Her pale green eyes met Tanaka’s and she appeared surprised.

“Tanaka-san…? It cannot be… I cannot believe it… I absolutely cannot believe it!” she exclaimed. “Truly, are you truly Tanaka-san?”

That voice. The voice with a faint Novoselic accent that had charmed Tanaka so many times back when he was still alive. He stared at her first in wild disbelief, then quickly became outraged. His voice was so low that he could have been speaking to himself.

“What foul sorcery is this…?” he snarled. “Do the tendrils of hell pursue me to no end?!” He began walking slowly towards Sonia, hands clenched into fists at his sides. She looked up at him in fear and took small steps back, trembling with shock. She had never seen him so crazed before, so aggressive.

“T-Tanaka-san?” she cried. He said nothing, only glared at her with bewildered eyes as he closed the distance between them. Her heels collided with the trunk of a tree. She was cornered now, with nowhere to run. She braced herself for the worst. Would he hit her? Kill her even? Her body rushed with adrenaline and she felt a heavy weight inside her chest. Her heart beat rapidly and her breaths were hasty.

 _I’m afraid._ she realized. For the first time in her life, Sonia Nevermind was afraid of Gundam Tanaka.

He came to a stop just a few inches away from her. Sonia closed her eyes and held her arms infront of her protectively, waiting for the blow.

It never came.

Instead, she felt Tanaka’s arms pull her into a warm embrace. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on the top of her head, then moved down and nuzzled her neck. His touch relaxed her body instantly and her arms fell slack at her sides. She had missed his gentle touch. Leaning into him, she wrapped her arms loosely around his back. He rested his head on her shoulder.

“You have returned to me at last, my lady.” he whispered. “Although you are just an illusion sent by the demons of the underworld to deceive me, I have wished to see you again for quite some time.” Sonia nodded into his chest.

 _I must be dreaming,_ she thought. _Tanaka-san is just another part of my dream. When I wake he will be gone again… oh… when did I fall asleep I wonder?_

Sonia had woken up on the forest floor. It was quiet and cold, and she had no clue as to how she had gotten there. She shivered slightly, her simple dress not protecting her from the freezing winds. She looked around for someone who could help her, or provide an explanation, but the surrounding area showed no signs of other people. Her body was unusually light, and her chest felt deeply… empty. She thought it was quite strange but decided to focus on leaving the forest instead. It would not do to stay overnight without the proper supplies.

A particular area beckoned Sonia to walk in its direction. She didn’t know why, but she followed it with slow, steady steps. It called to her, lulling her with its promise of comfort and safety. It was as if fate had tied her with a thread and was pulling her along. She continued, patiently following, until she heard the rustle of movement nearby. She turned, and that was when her obedience paid off. There, standing in the clearing, was Gundam Tanaka.

They stood there, entwined in each other’s arms, for several long moments. Finally, it was Sonia who pushed away to look up into Tanaka’s eyes. She kept her hands in his, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear.  She blinked at him. He still looked the same, with his distinct red and grey eyes, and the jagged scar that ran down the left side of his face. His hair remained styled, albeit slightly messy, and she smiled at the sight of some unruly strands. She lifted a hand to smooth them back.

“I must be dreaming.” she said. The heavy air around them seemed to dissipate as Tanaka’s smile grew bigger and bigger before finally, he gave in and roared with laughter.

“Fuahahahaha! Such are the costs of living a conjured life!” he shouted. “Worry not, Lady Sonia, for as long as you wish to stay in this dream of yours, I, Gundam Tanaka, shall keep you tethered to this realm!” He picked up a fallen branch and began drawing ritual circles on the ground beneath them. Sonia watched in awe as he swiftly traced out some intricately connected shapes and rings. She was amazed at how well he could remember the positioning of all of it.

“This is hella cool, Tanaka-san!” she exclaimed. His graceful hand slipped briefly as he looked up, flustered. He pulled his scarf up to hide his blushing face before going back to shakily continue his work.

“T-thank you.” he replied hastily. He filled in the last of the spell inscriptions before declaring, “The preparations are now complete.” He offered Sonia his bandaged hand and she took it gingerly before carefully stepping into the circle. Tanaka kept his hold on her as he led her into the center.

“Now, I inquire of you, Lady Sonia, as this must be answered honestly for the ceremony to be successful, do you wish to remain in this realm with me for the rest of your indefinite life?!”

She smiled honestly before answering. “I do, Tanaka-san.”

“Then so be it!” He raised his right hand in some kind of prayer, his other hand still grasping Sonia’s. Tanaka closed his eyes and began to chant an incantation filled with words Sonia could not understand. She waited patiently as he went through verse after verse, before finally relaxing his hand and opening his eyes to meet hers. “It is done.” he said.

Sonia jumped with the excitement of a young schoolgirl. She hugged Tanaka, whose scarlet face was quickly turning a deeper shade of red, and looked at him in admiration. “That was amazing, Tanaka-san! You are truly the best! Once I return to Novoselic you must come with me so I can appoint you the role of head sorcerer!”

He shook his head. “That is not wise, Lady Sonia. If my tainted being were to set foot in your beloved country of Novoselic, all your crops would become afflicted with blight and great ruin would be brought to the land. It is only due to my self-casted barrier that you are protected from my destructive powers, princess. However, it is imperative that no mortal lips ever make contact with mine, as their fragile soul would be absorbed by my inescapable presence-“

Upon hearing the word “lips”, Sonia thought of an idea. She leaned in closer to Tanaka, who was still absorbed in his monologue about the cataclysmic events he had caused upon gaining his earthly body. He noticed her movements too late and had no time to react as she balanced on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips up to his.

He did not pull away immediately like she had expected. She thought that perhaps he had been frozen in place by shock, but when she opened her eyes and met his gaze, she found that his eyes showed hints of pleasure. His face was, of course, the deepest shade of red that Sonia had ever seen, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying their kiss. She had waited for this moment for so long, and now she was finally getting it. It felt like an eternity that they were there, with their lips connected, but at last, Tanaka pulled away.

“Perhaps,” he breathed. “Perhaps you are no mere mortal…” Sonia giggled at this and pushed at him playfully. He looked at her in mock annoyance and haughtily shouted, “What mischief is this? You dare lay hands on the great Gundam Tanaka? Then I shall not hold back! Not even on a fair lady such as yourself! Face my wrath!”

He leapt at her and tickled her all over as she fell to the ground, laughing. “Tan-Tanaka-san! Hahaha! Stop! I beg! T-Tanaka-san!” They rolled on the soft earth, enjoying each other’s company. Sonia’s giggles echoed throughout the forest, accompanied by Tanaka’s roars of laughter. As they lost themselves in their merriment, neither of them kept track of the passing time. When the two eventually rose, they found that hours had passed and the sun had already begun its descent into the horizon. Tanaka offered Sonia his hand once more.

“Come, my lady. The night is upon us and it would not do to dwell in our current position. I have made my place of residence nearby, and we may shelter ourselves there for the evening.” She took his hand as a sign of her approval, and the couple proceeded to make their way to Tanaka’s home. As the two marched into the distance, Sonia couldn’t help but think about the emptiness she felt inside her. Something in the back of her mind told her that she wasn’t dreaming, but what did it matter anyway?

She smiled at him, genuinely pleased. It was not the fake smile that she gave as the princess of Novoselic, nor was it the polite one she gave to solemn noblemen. No, this smile was authentic, and was one that belonged to Sonia Nevermind, the eternal companion of the Ascendant Ruler of Ice.

* * *

 

“I wasn’t able to find anything. I’m sorry.”

The survivors and the Future Foundation had met back up in the meeting room the next day, as planned. Alter Ego had gone through the files but hadn’t been been able to pinpoint the source of their troubles or replicate the altered memories that had been transferred into the remaining students. It was quite a bother, not knowing what the survivors could remember, but nothing could be done at the current time so they dropped the subject rather quickly and went back to more immediate matters.

“This is troublesome.” said Kirigiri. “Is it possible that Enoshima’s virus corrupted the data as it was being transferred?”

Alter Ego shook its head. “It shouldn’t be. When I checked Nanami’s files she seemed untouched, so Enoshima’s virus should only be affecting the simulated areas of the program. That’s why it’s safe to export her out…”

“But aren’t our memories taken from the simulated places?” asked Souda. “Think about it, that’s where we were the whole time. Wouldn’t be surprised if Enoshima got in from there and all.”

Togami nodded. “Yes, that is a rather interesting point isn’t it…”

“Still!” cried Alter Ego. “It shouldn’t be possible. Even though your avatars were in the simulated areas, your actual memories were moved to data storage where they should have been held. Unless Enoshima got access to the database, they shouldn’t have been touched by her. But, if she did have access, Nanami would be affected as well! I-I’m sorry. I’m just bringing up more questions…” The program looked conflicted, as if deciding between further explanation or letting everyone think for themselves.  

“Is there anything else you can look at, Alter Ego?” asked Kirigiri.

“No… I’m sorry. I’ve gone through it all already…” The A.I. had a habit of frequently apologizing, even when it wasn’t at fault.

“I see…” Kirigiri looked up. “It’s unnerving to think that something else may have infiltrated its way into our systems. Although it shouldn’t be a problem, it makes me somewhat… hesistant about exporting Nanami.” She closed her eyes, deep in thought. “Perhaps we should wait until this is cleared up to-“

“No!” Kirigiri’s eyes shot open. Everyone in the room stared curiously at the hologram, who cleared its throat sheepishly. It was obviously uncomfortable with all the attention it was getting. “I-I’m sorry. That was unlike me. It’s just that… Nanami’s been alone for so long… the whole time she’s been waiting for you guys to go and get her. She shouldn’t have to wait any longer!”

Naegi had never seen the A.I. act so passionately before. It had always been timid and diffident, obediently following the Future Foundation’s every command. He was surprised to see that it would oppose Kirigiri’s suggestion, but surely, if it were reacting so strongly, its opinion was to be considered. It was possible Alter Ego was correct anyways. Naegi didn’t know what it was like to be a computer program, nor did the rest of them. Perhaps Alter Ego was merely looking out for its fellow A.I., and knew what would be best for both of them. Naegi nodded.

“Alright, Alter Ego. If that’s what you think is best, then we’ll try and get her out of there as quickly as possible. Her synthetic body should be finished in a matter of days, if not sooner. We’ll alert you immediately when it’s ready.”

A huge smile lit up the program’s face. “Ah! Naegi-san, thank you! If I could hug you I would, but…” It smiled again awkwardly and gestured at its parameters. This caused Sonia to giggle, and a wave of deja-vu surged through her. She shivered at the unnatural feeling. Kuzuryuu seemed to notice.

“Hey Sonia, are you okay?” he asked. She nodded and dismissed his concern with a wave.

“Forgive me, I’m fine. I just felt as though… I were forgetting something is all.” He seemed to accept her answer and sat back in his chair.

“Oh, I see. Understandable with our current situation.”

“If I may interrupt your little chat,” spat Togami. “We have more pressing matters to attend to.”

Kuzuryuu’s brow furrowed and he growled. “What the fuck is your problem, shithead?! I was just checking up on her!”

“ _Checking up on her_ doesn’t take priority right now. If it’s not of immediate importance, you shouldn’t force everyone to waste their time, listening to trash like you.”

As the two bickered in the background, Sonia’s thoughts drifted towards the shudder she had felt when she giggled. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t laughed in such a long time, at least not since… the incident. Still, she felt a little uneasy and couldn’t help stop herself from wondering what had caused it. She remembered Tanaka talking about how people felt chills when spirits passed through them.

 _Then it must be Tanaka-san who is here, no?_ She smiled at the thought of him watching over her and let out a quiet, happy sigh. _It is surely him._

_Oh, Tanaka-san… when will we be reunited again?_


	5. Lost Again

A few days had passed since the group’s last meeting. Nanami’s synthetic body was in its final stages and nearly ready for use. Inside its base structure, it was merely an intricate mesh of steel and computer parts, but holographic technology allowed the android to project itself with human appearances. For the current purposes it would hold the appearance of Nanami, having light pink hair and delicate pink eyes. There was no way to test the programming of the vessel until Nanami was actually imported into it. The engineers at the Future Foundation seemed extremely irritated at this, but could only hope for the best.

Finally, the time had come for Nanami to be brought into reality. The students were all gathered into the testing room for the New World Program, so that the android could be hooked up to the main machine. As they all walked in, Naegi noticed the survivors glancing anxiously at their sleeping friends.

 _I feel bad for them._ he thought. _They must be jealous of Hinata-kun. He gets someone back while the rest of them have to wait and grieve._

The android was hooked up to the central machine by a variety of wires and cords. It had not yet taken on Nanami’s  appearance and was a sleek silver of screws and metal plates. Owari cringed at the sight of the thing that would become their supposed friend.

“Geez,” she muttered. “Even old man Nidai’s robot looked better.”

“It’ll look better in a moment.” explained Kirigiri. “The hologram will turn on once Nanami takes control of the body- if the transfer is even successful of course. Togami, have you finished unlocking the system yet?”

The ultimate heir was typing furiously into a keyboard on the main control panel. “Almost.” he grunted. “If the damn Future Foundation didn’t make these passwords so long… tch.” His fingers blazed across cryptic keys, appearing as hidden characters on the screen. After another minute or two, the lights on the machine surged and a noise of approval rang out throughout the room. “Finally.” Togami sighed.

His success was pushed out of the way as Alter Ego appeared on the screen. The program took a moment to register what room they were in, then greeted the students with a smile.

“Hi everyone!” It seemed ecstatic that its fellow A.I. would be allowed to roam free with the others. Naegi wondered briefly why it didn’t seem jealous, not even in the least bit. Togami and Kirigiri nodded in acknowledgement, while Kuzuryuu waved awkwardly at the computer. He seemed confused on how to react. The others didn’t respond at all, either not caring or even more puzzled than Kuzuryuu.

“It’s finally time!” cheered the A.I. It hesistated a moment, suddenly flustered at its actions. “A-Ahh, well… I think Nanami would be really confused if we just ported her out all of a sudden… let me… let me go tell her first!” Without waiting for approval, it flickered away on the computer screen. Sonia took the opportunity of its absence to speak.

“That was… that was rather strange of Alter Ego, was it not?” she asked. Owari nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, it’s not like it to be so… cheerful. Where’s its usual self-pity act? Reminds me of Tsumiki back when she went fuckin’ crazy over love .”

Naegi looked around, starting to worry. More internal chaos was the last thing they needed right now. Why were they suddenly asking questions? They had enough to sort out already with the misleading memories and all. He tried to reassure them that nothing was out of place.

“Guys, I’m sure Alter Ego is just excited for Nanami-san. Wouldn’t you be happy for a friend?”

Souda scratched at the back of his head. “I ‘unno. Somethin’s not right here.” He narrowed his bright pink eyes. “Never really trusted these kinda things anyway…”

“Look, Alter Ego’s been with us for a long time. Chi-Chihiro…“ he fumbled a bit, remembering their deceased classmate. “I mean- an old friend programmed him a long time ago. There’s no way he’d be corrupted.”

Togami looked like he was ready to jump into the argument. Kirigiri, on the other hand, seemed rather neutral. _Kirigiri-san, why aren’t you backing me up…?_ Naegi wondered. She noticed him looking her way and opened her mouth to speak.

“Naegi-kun, actually… I-“ She silenced herself abruptly as Alter Ego reappeared on screen. Eager to cover up their conversation, she quickly turned her attention to it. Her poker face was perfect, and seemed as indifferent as ever. “Alter Ego, welcome back. Have you finished your preparations?”

Any uncertainty Alter Ego had was immediately erased. It smiled innocently, not knowing about the recent discussion of the others.  “Yes, Nanami says she’s ready to leave immediately. She’s happy that you guys worked so hard to meet her.”

“We didn’t do anything,” said Hinata. “She should be thanking the Future Foundation.”

“Ah, yes. Hinata-san… she’s so eager to meet you too…”

Hinata stayed quiet, not responding to the comment. _This again… why is she… why is she so important to me? Why am I so important to her?_ He silently hoped that when the whole thing was over, she could answer all of his questions. He wondered if they had been good friends back in the simulation. _Or… were we more than friends…?_ He shook his head. _There’s no way… right? But that video Alter Ego showed us… I don’t understand this at all…_

Togami’s confident voice snapped Hinata back to reality. “Well, if everything’s ready, let’s hurry up and begin the transfer.” The other students in the room nodded as he typed a few simple commands into the control panel. They were much shorter than the passwords he had gone through earlier. After a few brief moments, a slight whirring noise was heard and the android lit up.

Its closed eyes began to flutter, opening into light pink irises. Short pink hair flickered into view, held up on the left side by a white hairclip. A digital gamer-styled hoodie was generated, along with a simple school uniform, stockings and plain shoes. On the android’s back, there was a cute pink bag that strapped around the shoulders. The android’s hair swayed slightly as it began to move. Nanami blinked a few times, and smiled.

“Hello everyone. I’ve missed you all a great bunch.”

No one knew what to do. Hinata looked at her both cautiously and expectantly, wishing for answers but too afraid to ask. Owari and Souda glared at her skeptically. Nanami reminded Owari too much of Nidai, and Owari was frustrated that she was so sensitive to her emotions. Souda was dubious of the mechanical girl’s loyalty. Kuzuryuu, as awkward as he had been with Alter Ego, coughed out a choked “hello”. Finally, it was Sonia’s princess training that saved the day.

“Hello Nanami-san,” she began formally.

She remembered the video that had been played for them a few days ago, the fifth trial on the island. Everyone had seen her as a friend back then, mourning her death after her execution. It must have been hard on her, to get such a cold greeting after such a long time. Sonia smiled for her, as genuinely as she could. She recited the words she had heard herself speak so truthfully.

“Nanami-san… you will always be our friend. You are our friend now.”

Nanami blinked a few times, perplexed, before returning Sonia’s friendly expression. From the corner, Souda shifted uncomfortably.

“S-Sonia-san…”

“What is it Souda-san?” she asked. “Nanami-san is our friend. There is no need to act with such coldness.” Sonia was confident. Even if no one else would speak with Nanami, she would be the one to fill her in, to help her around.

“B-but…!”

“She’s right y’know.” Kuzuryuu said, interrupting Souda’s protests. “It wouldn’t do to ignore her after all this shit.”

“Yeah…” said Owari. “We should at least get something out of all that fucking work we did.”

 _It wouldn’t be fair to her,_ thought Owari. _She doesn’t deserve to be hated just because of what she is… old man Nidai would never approve…_ She kept these thoughts to herself as she tried to lighten up for the sake of everyone else.

The peer pressure turned out to be too much for Souda, who finally gave in.

“Alright, if that’s whatcha guys think. S… sorry, Nanami.” he said meekly.

“It’s fine, Souda-kun. I understand how you must feel with me having this body and all.”

Hinata watched quietly from the back, malicious red eyes locked with Nanami’s pale pink ones.

 _Does she… recognize me?_ he wondered. _Do I look different from the Hinata that she met back in the program?_

Nanami seemed to read his mind and took light, cautious steps towards him. She was still unfamiliar with her new body, as it was slightly different from her avatar in terms of height and mobility. Gently, she reached out and grabbed his hand. Hinata was surprised that her fingers felt so soft and warm. He had expected them to feel like cold, lifeless metal.

“Hello, Hinata-kun.”

“…hello, Nanami-san.”

“Do you remember me?”

“I…” he broke eye contact and glanced down at the floor. “… no, I’m sorry. I really don’t. I know that we were… _something_ , but that’s it…”

“That’s okay. You look like you’ve changed a little too. We can catch up later, right?”

Hinata gave a slight nod. Nanami smiled at this and let go of his hand, turning to face the rest of the group. Sonia still stood in the front, hands clasped politely on the front of her dress.

“Sonia-san, thank you for greeting me so kindly. I am sure you are just as confused as everyone else, and you probably don’t remember me, but still, thank you.”

“It is no problem, Nanami-san. I’m sure we will become good friends, and truly enjoy ourselves now that Monokuma is gone!”

This brought a grin upon everyone’s faces. The atmosphere lighted with Sonia’s positive attitude, and Nanami’s acceptance of their confusion. From the corner, Kirigiri cleared her throat, a small smile still on her face. “Nanami, I trust that you know what must be done now?”

Nanami stared at her quizzically for a second, then jumped in realization. “Ah, yes! I’m sorry everyone, we’ll have to meet up again later. Right now, my programming tells me that the Future Foundation wants to run some tests on my functioning.”

“Your programming tells you that?” said Kuzuryuu, hesitantly. “This isn’t gonna be like your avatar, right? Where you can’t betray the Future Foundation or some stupid shit like that?”

Nanami shook her head. “No, it’s not like that at all. The Future Foundation can send me messages through my wireless system, but they have no control over me. I’m my own person now.” She seemed pleased with her last sentence. “This is all so surreal. I can’t believe I’m finally in reality with you guys.”

A sound from Naegi’s back pocket rang throughout the room. He pulled his tablet out of his pocket and read over it quickly. “Ah, Nanami, I’m sorry, but the scientists in the engineering lab want you there immediately. They’re a bit impatient…”

“It’s fine. I’m really glad I got to see you all again. I’ll contact you through your tablets when this is all done and over with.”

“Tablets?” asked Owari. In response, Togami brought out a small box.

“Here. Each of these are programmed to give access to one of you and one of you _only._ They’ll recognize your voices and fingerprints once you start using them.” He gave one to each of the students. Hinata turned his on and looked at the options on the screen.

_> Internet_   
_> Email (0)_   
_ >Contacts_   
_ >Options_

There were two icons to the right. One was the standard Future Foundation logo, and another was a pixel portrait of Alter Ego.

“Use the Future Foundation icon if there’s an emergency,” explained Togami. “Reminder for scum like you that it’s to be used for emergencies _only._ Selecting Alter Ego’s portrait will call for it, although it can only interact with one person at a time.”

“You can find me in your contacts.” said Nanami. “Even though I don’t have a tablet, I’m integrated straight into the system. The rest of you guys are all connected with each other.”

Hinata tapped the ‘contacts’ button and sure enough, all of his classmates and the Future Foundation  members were listed.

_> Sonia Nevermind_   
_> Owari Akane_   
_ >Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko_   
_ >Souda Kazuichi_   
_ >Naegi Makoto_   
_ >Kirigiri Kyoko_   
_ >Togami Byakuya_   
_ >Nanami Chiaki_

“Well, they’re waiting for me. Bye guys.” With one last wave, Nanami walked out of the room.

“…I’ll go with her incase there are any complications,” Kirigiri said curtly. She silently followed after Nanami, leaving Hinata and the others to themselves.

Owari’s stomach growled noisily and she clutched her abdomen in response. “Man, I’m starving! Can we get something to eat already?”

“Let’s meet up in the cafeteria then,” said Naegi. “We can talk more there.”

The group all filed out of the testing room and made their way up to the cafeteria. All the food was made order by order. There was no reason to cook the food in advance, as few people used the facility anyway. That being said, Owari often ate for the equivalent of six people, causing the chefs to be terrified whenever she showed up. After everyone had gotten their food and sat down, Naegi began the conversation.

“So, what do you guys think so far?”

“Fshs mkeyph,” mumbled Owari through a mouthful of roast meat. Naegi raised an eyebrow to which Sonia translated.

“I believe Owari-san is trying to say, ‘she’s okay’.” Owari nodded in confirmation and Sonia continued. “I do view her as quite pleasant, myself. I can see why we would have befriended her.”

“Nyeh, she’s alright,” muttered Souda. “I still ‘unno about this whole cyborg humanity thing, but she seems decent at least.”

“Mmfh!” agreed Kuzuryuu as he hungrily devoured his hamburger.

Naegi breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I was afraid you guys would go on a witch hunt after her.” He looked curiously at Hinata, who had yet to speak. “And you, Hinata? What do you think of her?”

Hinata put down his spoonful of curry and sat there, thinking. “I’m not sure. I don’t really understand all of this in the first place… she’s okay I guess. She said she wanted to talk to me later, maybe to help clear up some things.”

“Ah I see.” Naegi took a bite of his onigiri and looked around awkwardly.

 _Damn it, I shouldn’t have started a conversation over lunch,_ he thought to himself. His question had seemed to ruin Hinata’s appetite, and everyone else was too busy eating to talk.

It was a relief when Hinata’s tablet buzzed and broke the silence. Hinata read over the contents of the message and looked up. “It’s Nanami. She says they’re finished with the tests. Sorry guys, gotta go, she says she wants me to meet her in her room.”

Hinata cleared his plate and dropped it off with the rest of the dirty dishes before walking out of the cafeteria towards the living quarters.

“So…” said Naegi. His attempt to start a conversation failed miserably. The former-despair only stared at him curiously and raised their eyebrows, still chewing. He sighed. It was going to be a challenge, getting them all to talk.

 

* * *

 

Hinata stood outside Nanami’s room, double checking to make sure he was in the right place. Her room had been made a few halls down from everyone else’s, most likely because of her sudden arrival. He knocked lightly on the door before reaching down and turning the doorknob.

“Nanami-san?” he asked cautiously as he proceeded inside.  

“I’m right here, Hinata-kun.” Nanami sat on her bed, legs folded beneath her. Her mattress was a plain light blue and sat atop a simple wooden frame. Her covers matched her jacket and were colored a deep navy blue. Hinata noted that the room seemed hastily put together, and the only furniture present besides the bed was a desk and a nightstand. On the nightstand was a small lamp, turned on to help brighten the dim room.

Nanami patted the spot beside her on the bed. “I’m sorry there isn’t anywhere to sit. They threw this room together for me and I’m not quite settled yet.”

Hinata shook his head. “No, it’s fine.” He sat next to her and dangled his legs off the side of the bed. She leaned over and he was surprised to realize that she wasn’t the slightest bit uncomfortable being so close to him. She grabbed his upper arm and brought it closer to her.

“Ah Hinata-kun! It’s so nice to see you again!” she exclaimed with relief.

“E-er… yeah… so what did you want to talk to me about?” He felt himself blushing furiously and he was sure that she could see it too.

_God damn it, where are Kamakura’s traits when I need them?_

“Nothing in particular. I’m sure you have a lot of questions so go ahead and ask, but I hope it’s fine if I ask some back.”

He swallowed and laughed nervously. His arm was still tight in Nanami’s grasp. “Haha… sure go ahead. So um… what do you remember about me?”

“Hmm…” she flicked her finger at his hair playfully. “I remember your hair was different. It used to be brown, not black. It wasn’t so rough either.” She leaned intimately close to his face, and Hinata shifted back uncomfortably.

“Your eyes too. They used to be green. Oh Hinata-kun, when did you start to look so despairly dark?”

“W-what?” The question took him by surprise. Her face was mere inches from his. There was something in her eyes that Hinata couldn’t put his finger on. Her eyes were half-lidded, but not in a sleepy fashion like he was used to.

 _Is it… lust?_ he thought to himself. _No…_

Nanami’s eyes held something much darker. Hinata felt like she would pounce at any moment and kill him. They were the eyes of a predator, of a hunter. The eyes of… Junko Enoshima…

_YouareKamakuraIzuru.YouareKamakuraIzuru. YouareKamakuraIzuru.YouareKamakuraIzuru._

He remembered her face. Her lips moving. The line repeated in his head over and over.

“I…” he breathed. “I am…”

Nanami grinned devilishly. “You are Kamakura Izuru.”

“…Kamakura… Izuru…”

His memories flooded his mind, drenching every thought, interfering with every word.

_“Y-you!” A bloody boy glared at Kamakura defiantly. He held his dislocated right shoulder with his left arm and struggled to even stand.”Why would you…! I won’t let you hurt her! Not even… not even if it kills me!”_

_“Y-Yoshida-san!” A girl stood behind him, trembling. Her clothes were torn and blood ran down the side of her face. “Stop! He really will kill you!”_

_He laughed, heaving. “Hah… that’s okay. It’s fine if I… if I die… as long as you’re okay.” He turned around to face her, grinning although blood was spilling out of the corner of his mouth. “It’s because… Suzuki… you’re the one that I lo-“ A gasp. The boy never got to finish his sentence. Kamakura had impatiently stabbed him with the broken pipe, not caring for last words. Kamakura pulled the weapon out of the boy’s torso and watched as he dropped lifelessly to the ground._

_“Boring…” he murmured._

_“Y-Yoshida-san!” cried the girl. She collapsed to her knees, sobbing. Kamakura took slow, calculated steps towards her. His footsteps echoed throughout the dark room. She was panicking now._

_“I’m dreaming,” she whispered. The girl had fallen into hysterics. “It’s all a dream. Wake up, Suzuki. Cmon, it’s time to wake up now.”_

_Kamakura raised the pipe over his head._

_“Okay Suzuki,” she giggled. “It’s all over. It’s all over now.”_

_The pipe hit her with a sickening crunch. Her lifeless body immediately crumpled onto the floor. Kamakura threw the pipe to the side before kneeling down and hoisting the corpse onto his shoulders. He picked up and carried Yoshida’s body with his other arm._

_“Upupu~!” A child-like voice was heard from the shadows. Monokuma emerged, paws covering his malicious grin. “At this rate there won’t ever be a trial! We should have set a limit on the number of murders one person can commit!”_

_“No matter. This game… this school… this world, even… it’s all boring. You’re boring too.”_

_“Nyeh?! Boring? I’m not boring you bastard! Hey, wait, where are you going!? Don’t leave while I’m talking to you!”_

_Kamakura ignored him and carried the bodies out of the room. He didn’t bother cleaning up the blood left on the floors, or moving the weapon that was left on the ground. They could find those for all he cared. As long as they didn’t find the bodies, no trials would ever occur. Even if it was obvious that he was the culprit, nothing could be done. Nothing, except for attempting to kill him, of course. That was exactly what Yoshida and Suzuki had tried to do._

_“What a boring turn of events,” he thought outloud. He knew that with his talent, none of the weaklings of the class council could ever oppose him and succeed._

_He dropped off the bodies inside his bathroom, knowing that no one would be out this late to see the corpses. How many were there now, laying inside the shower? Twelve? Thirteen? It didn’t matter to him anyways. Everything here was just… boring…_

Another, flashback, less violent this time, entered his mind.

_“Kamakura-kun!” A girl with strawberry-blonde hair spun aimlessly in her chair. “That was great! You did a despairingly good job!”_

_“Thank you, Lady Junko.”_

_“Ahh. How many times do I need to tell you not to call me that? It’s just Junko to you y’know. Saying ‘lady’ is so despairingly pointless.”_

_The girl twirled her hair around her fake red nails._

_“My apologies then, Junko. This world is just so boring. Perhaps it needs some pointless features to keep it interesting…”_

_“My, my, that won’t do at all. Then people might actually have_ hope _and that would cause quite a problem with our plans.”_

_A raspy fit of laughter was heard resonating from down the hall. As the sound drew nearer, Kamakura recognized the source to be Nagito Komaeda. He was thin and frail-looking, and his signature green jacket was splattered with blood. Kamakura guessed that it hadn’t been washed in weeks._

_“Hope? Did I hear you correctly Junko? Did you say_ hope _?” Komaeda burst into another fit of laughter, doubling over infront of them. “There is no_ hope _in this world. Only despair. Ah… such cold… chilling despair… even someone as disgusting as me can feel its effects.”_

_Kamakura glared at him in disgust. He hated this boy. He hated all of the Ultimate Despair. They were all so boring with their useless talents and so-called ‘special’ skills. He was more talented than all of them combined. Vaguely, he wondered why Junko even kept them around._

_“You’re boring,” he said plainly._

_Komaeda looked up from his monologue and stared at the intimidating student._

_“Ah… how cold,” commented Junko gloomily. “He’s talking about the wonderful effects of despair and you aren’t even listening...”_

_“There’s no point. Uncultivated weaklingslike him will never leave a mark on this world… they exist only because of your influence, Junko.”_

_“Ah Kamakura-kun you flatter me! Not that there’s any need to of course. You know you’re my favorite right?”Junko looked directly at Komaeda while speaking. “You, Komaeda? You were never my favorite. Not even close to being, really.”_

_Komaeda didn’t seem to mind. He was rather used to negative comments, expecting them even._

_“That’s understandable. There would never be a reason to like someone as disgusting as me.”_

_“Consider it bad luck.” she said. “Maybe if I had noticed you first, or you hadn’t been so mental, things would have turned out differently. A shame, really.”_

_Komaeda swallowed. Junko could see the despair brewing in his eyes. He absolutely hated being tied to his talent. It had caused so much pain in his life, so much despair. Maybe Junko was really the lucky one. After all, those tragic events had brought him straight to her._

_“I… no... it’s not…”_

_“It’s not what? Your so called ‘talent’… mere luck is no talent… how boring…”_

_“… ah... I see… excuse me.”_

_The frail boy stumbled out of the room, paler than Kamakura had ever seen him. Junko sighed in happiness, then abruptly burst into violent laughter._

_“GYAHAHAHA! THAT WAS FUCKING DESPAIRLICIOUS!”_

_“I found it rather boring.”_

_“Ah he’ll be thinking about that for weeks! Imagine all the long term despair~!” she swooned, ignoring him._

_Kamakura stood silently throughout Junko’s cheers. He wondered how she could feel joy from such boring events.In fact, he wondered what emotions were like at all. Perhaps that Hinata boy he had once been had felt them…_

“Do you remember now, Kamakura-kun?” whispered Nanami perniciously. Her hologram seemed to be malfunctioning. It flickered briefly, changing its appearance.

Hinata’s eyes glazed over. “Yes…” he breathed.

Nanami’s pink hair became strawberry-blonde, and suddenly tied into pigtails. Vibrant blue eyes replaced her pale pink ones. Her jacket and school uniform transformed into a low-cut cardigan and a red, fashionable skirt. Her bust became significantly larger. She caressed Hinata’s cheek with a hand that ended in long, fake nails and sighed contentedly.

“Welcome back, Lady Junko.”

 

 


	6. Initiate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings readers,
> 
> A bit of a shorter chapter this time. The events might appear out of character to some of you, but I wouldn't disagree. Either way, do enjoy.
> 
> Regards,  
> JokersMaze

Sonia sat peacefully on the edge of her bed. It was late in the evening now, and the dwindling sunlight illuminated her room through the small window. She stood up and walked over to the curtains, pushing them aside so that the room wouldn't be as dim.

She had to admit, her room had a wonderful view. She could see the pristine coast of the island, virtually untouched by human pollution. The ocean waves lapped peacefully against the sandy shores. Sonia reached down and tugged open the window. The cold ocean breeze immediately blew in and felt refreshing compared to the stuffy air. She rested her head on her hands and took in the peaceful landscape, blinking lazily.

A quiet knocking was heard from the door.

"Sonia-san?" said a muffled voice. "It's me, Souda."

"Come in, the door's open." she replied absentmindedly.

She heard Souda walk in and close the door behind him. It wasn't unusual for them to spend random bits of time together, at least not anymore. Moving slightly to the side, she made room for him to join her at the window. He leaned down and perched his arms on the windowsill.

"Nice view, isn't it?" he said.

"I agree." she answered quietly. Souda looked at her for a moment, but then turned away, leaving her to her thoughts. They stood soundlessly, listening to the ocean waves and garrulous birds together, before Souda moved back and stretched his stiff limbs.

"I've never had the privilege of seein' somethin' so beautiful before."

Sonia turned around and looked at him. "The ocean?" she asked.

"No," he said, still gazing out the window. "You."

Sonia studied him, perplexed. "What do you mean?"

He leaned back down next to her, not meeting her gaze. "I mean, you're a  _princess,_ and I'm just a dumb mechanic. It's a privilege just to  _know_  someone like you."

Sonia looked away, staring back into the multicolored distance.

"It wasn't my desire to be a princess." she sighed quietly. "I was merely born the child of my mother and father, the queen and the king. I must dedicate my life to the people of Novoselic."

Souda glanced at her.

"Still," she continued. "I mustn't complain. The life of royalty is a privileged one. It would be selfish of me to pity myself. My parents were good to me – everyone was, really, but there are many expectations of a princess."

She squinted at the horizon. "I wonder if this sky still exists back in Novoselic, or if it has been tainted by the smoke and destruction of despair."

Souda put a hand on her shoulder and she stiffened. He had become more serious since they had exited the New World Program – more weary of the world and all it held. He had left his hair black, its natural color, instead of dying it pink again. She grit her teeth.

"I've failed them all."

"Stop," he said calmly. "You haven't failed anyone."

"But I have! I truly, truly have!" she cried, suddenly turning to look at him with teary eyes. "I was the fated heir, and I have led my people to destruction! How am I to return home and face them?"

He lowered his hand from her shoulder and placed it on her back, raising his other arm to cradle her head. He gently pulled her into a hug, and allowed her to cry on his shoulder. They had become closer recently, with both of them watching over Tanaka's sleeping figure, waiting for him to wake up. Souda hated Tanaka, it was true, but if Sonia wanted him to wake up, then Souda wanted it too.

"Shh," he cooed. "It's alright."

"My a-apologies," she sniffled into him. "I didn't mean for this to be about m-me…"

"No." He hugged her tighter. "It's okay."

He ran his fingers through her pale blonde hair, enjoying the fine texture. She didn't seem to mind. In fact, it was quite the opposite. She found the motion comforting and buried her face deeper into his jumper. It felt as though Tanaka were holding her. She wanted to think that it was him, that he was  _alive_. An innate feeling of guilt rose within her chest.

 _I'm only using him,_ she realized.  _He's only my replacement for Tanaka._

She bit down on her lip in an attempt to keep herself from crying again.

Souda, on the other hand, had accepted his position long ago. He had made his decision one afternoon, when he had been sitting in the testing room with Sonia.

* * *

It had been a few weeks prior to Nanami's awakening. Sonia had been sitting in a plain wooden chair, borrowed from a spare meeting room. Souda, returning from lunch, came up behind her and nudged her gently. In his other hand he carried a simple tray of food – a tidy plate of fish and rice sitting beside a bowl of miso soup.

"Here," he gestured. "Eat."

She ignored him and went back to staring at Tanaka's motionless body. Souda sighed and set the tray on top of the glass before pulling up a chair and sitting next to her. She wasn't saying anything, but the way she looked hungrily at the food confirmed Souda's guesses. Her stomach let out a noise of protest, and she covered it with her hand, eyebrows furrowing a bit in frustration.

It was ironic, the situation. It was the motive that the animal breeder had died for, yet Sonia wasn't eating, even though she could.

"He wouldn't want ya to starve y'know," Souda said quietly. Sonia looked at him hesitantly for a second, before realizing he was right and reaching to pick up the tray.

"Just use the pod as a table or somethin'. You're not desecratin' his body or anything so don't worry about it." he said. He looked at her face. There were bags beginning to form under her eyes, and she looked a bit paler than she had before. "Have you been sleepin'?" he asked.

She mustered a smile. Souda could tell that she was lying through her teeth. "Yes, Souda-san. I'm fine, really."

She picked up the chopsticks and slowly began eating. Souda stayed next to her, making sure that she finished the food before he left. He didn't understand why she wasn't taking care of herself. When she was done, she let out a tiny sigh of comfort and turned to look at him.

"Thank you, Souda-san."

He nodded and watched as she blinked slowly with fatigue. "You should get some rest too y'know."

"But –"

"Just'a nap won't hurt anyone. You should really sleep in your bed once n' a while though."

Sonia huffed in defeat. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, enjoying the comfort of a full belly. Gradually, her breaths became slower and her posture more relaxed. Her lithe body began tilting to the side, and Souda became alarmed at the fact that she could possibly fall out of her chair. He reached over and gently tilted her body to her right, so that if she did fall, she would fall onto him instead of the floor.

To his panic, Sonia's sleeping form latched onto his arm. She breathed softly onto his shoulder, and the sensation sent chills up Souda's spine. He made a mental note that she didn't snore.

 _Man._ he thought.  _Everythin' about her makes her a princess._

A childish thought brought a smile to his face.  _A princess? I got a princess clinging to me! I wonder if she likes me?_

The sleeping princess fidgeted slightly and mumbled something into his chest. He frowned, wanting to believe that he had heard her incorrectly.

_No no no. Please let me be wrong._

"Tanaka-san…" she mumbled again in her sleep. He grit his sharp teeth together and fought back stinging tears, careful not to wake her up.

 _Just once._ he thought bitterly.  _Why I can't I fuckin' outdo Tanaka just once?_

It was immature of him, he knew, to act like this after they had gone through so much, but part of him still wanted to be the prince that swept her away. She was absent-mindedly clinging to his arm, but he knew that she hadn't meant to. Whatever the princess was dreaming of, it didn't involve Souda.

She moved rigidly against him, and Souda hastily wiped at his eyes with the back of his free hand. She yawned sleepily, before realizing that she was tightly holding onto him.

"S-Souda-san?" she exclaimed, alarmed at her position. "H-how long have I… I did not mean to…"

"It's alright." he said, making no move to free himself. He silently hoped that she would stay where she was.

Sonia righted herself and stretched her arms before sitting back down and leaning onto him again. He looked at her expectantly. She flustered, ashamed of her behavior. It was unfitting of a princess to act so improper, but she had to admit she enjoyed his sudden company.

"I hope you do not mind… this is a rather…  _comfortable_  position."

He began to grin at his small success, but stopped when he saw that she immediately set her sights back on Tanaka.

_Ah, that's right ain't it? I only get to be second best._

Her body remained pressed up against his.

"Souda-san?" she asked, not looking up.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for taking care of me."

A warm feeling gushed inside of him. Even if he was only Tanaka's replacement, he would still have some time alone with Sonia. He beamed at the thought and smiled before replying.

"No problem, princess."

* * *

And now, here he was, with the crying princess in his arms. He had known his place from the very beginning, but only now had  _she_  realized. She had kept her feelings buried, not wanting to face her terrible remorse. The sun had almost entirely set by now, and the room was growing increasingly dim.

She was quietly sobbing into his chest, and his words echoed in head.

_Everythin' about her makes her a princess…_

It was true. He hadn't thought it possible, that someone could cry with such grace. She smelled faintly of daffodils, a scent that was lovely to him. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, shimmering in the light of the setting sun.

"It was not my intention to… to use you like this, Souda-san." she said softly, her voice hoarse from crying.

"Nah. It's not like that at all." he reassured, murmuring into her hair. He looked out the window at the darkening horizon. A cold wind blew in from the open window and he shivered. He gently loosened himself from her grasp and she looked up at him in mild confusion.

"It's gettin' dark. Lemme turn on a light or somethin'." She nodded and sat down on the side of her bed, flattening her ruffled dress with her hands. Souda closed the window before walking over and turning on the lamp on Sonia's desk. He lingered around her desk for a bit, thinking as he fiddled with the switch.

"I should probably go." he said finally. Sonia remained silent, so he moved to show himself out. As he made his way towards the door, Sonia's hand gently grabbed onto his. He stopped, and her green eyes looked up pleadingly.

"Stay, please." she said.

"It's gettin' late."

"Stay the night then."

Souda sat down and then glanced behind them. They were sitting on the only bed in the room. It was large enough to easily fit the two of them, but the thought of sharing a bed with the princess made him blush.

"A-are ya sure? I mean –"

"Yes," she answered confidently. "I truly did not mean to convince myself that you were…" she paused, unable to think of a fitting description. "You have done a lot for me, these past few months, and I have yet to repay my debts."

He slumped forward slightly, staring down at the floor.

"S'not a debt to be repaid."

She placed a delicate hand on his upper arm. Although his jumper made him appear skimpy, his upper body was actually quite muscular, due to his work as a mechanic.

"I enjoy your company, Souda-san. Not just your presence, but you as a person."

Face still slightly flushed, he grinned at her with shark-like teeth. Relieved that she hadn't hurt him, Sonia relaxed and laid down, arms folded under her head like a pillow. Souda joined her shortly after. The two rested there in silence, before Souda turned to look at her.

Sonia's eyes had fluttered closed and her chest rose and fell slowly. She was deep in a peaceful sleep.

 _Probably exhausted after what just happened._ he thought.  _Best t'not disturb her._

He smiled to himself, enjoying the sight. He reached over to brush a stray strand of hair out of her face, but hesitated, thinking about how Sonia had distanced herself from him back in the simulation.

_But that was then and this is now._

He sat up slowly, careful not to disturb her, and moved her arms out of the way as he placed a pillow under her head. He gently draped the covers over her and jumped when he saw something moving on the other side of the room. Souda turned, only to see a reflection of himself in Sonia's mirror. He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair and sighed inaudibly.

_Man, I look like such a stalker! Leanin' over Sonia-san while she's sleepin'..._

He looked back at her resting figure. There was a large space where he had just been, and the bed seemed pretty roomy without him.

_Well she did tell me t' stay the night..._

Taking off his jumper and revealing his plain white T-shirt, he settled onto the space beside her. Right on cue, she unconsciously latched onto his bare arm, and he braced himself for the upcoming line.

_Here we go again._

"Tanaka-san…" she murmured in her sleep. It didn't sting as much this time, since he had been expecting it. When she said something else afterwards, however, Souda perked up. He eagerly hoped that she would say it again.

_C'mon. Please._

"Souda-san…" she mumbled again. He smiled giddily to himself, ecstatic that he was there in her dreams. Even if he could never compare to Tanaka, it was enough for her to even think of him. As the moon began to rise in the dark sky, Souda fell asleep comfortably with the sleeping princess clinging onto him. It would only last until Tanaka woke up, if he ever did, but until then, Sonia was his.

* * *

Kamakura knocked on the door. It was late, he knew, but with the events of the day, he thought the circumstances would be understandable.

A boy came to the door shortly after, rubbing sleepily at his eyes. He was dressed in plain linen pajamas and had obviously not been expecting visitors.

"Oh, Hinata-kun, what is it?" the boy asked.

"May I come in?"

"Of course, make yourself at home."

Kamakura walked inside and looked around casually as the boy relocked the door to the room.

"So, what did you want to talk abou –ack!"

The boy's sentence was cut short as he was slammed against the wall. Kamakura's hands were immediately around his throat, and Junko's orders echoed in his head.

" _So, Kamakura-kun, now that I'm back, there'll be some despairingly wonderful things I'll need you to do for me!"_

_Kamakura looked at her expectantly, waiting for instructions._

" _It won't be anything hard," she had said. "Just a small… execution." She drew out the last word with painful emphasis, sliding her fake nails teasingly across his lips._

" _Who am I to kill?" he had asked._

" _Ahh, patience! It's no fun if you jump straight to the point!"_

_He glared at her in contempt. "I do not require trivial details."_

_She huffed in comical protest before continuing._

" _Just one thing then. I know how despairingly awful your acting is, so after you execute my plan, I want you to forget everything. Just let that Hinata-kid or whatever take over –he won't remember a thing! Oh I hope they all blame him, he'll feel such sweet despair~!"_

_He nodded indifferently. She puffed out her cheeks, pouting._

" _Alright, alright, I'll cut to the chase. Here's what I need you to do…"_

The boy was struggling now, writhing and flailing in Kamakura's grasp. He was unable to speak, due to the tremendous pressure on his windpipe, but his eyes looked to Kamakura asking, "why?". The red-eyed student said nothing, only gripping the boy's neck tighter in an attempt to hasten the process. The boy's hands desperately clawed at Kamakura's wrists, trimmed fingernails unable to break the skin. His legs shot in every direction, but the attacker stayed well out of reach.

Gradually, the boy's movements slowed. His eyes were covered by a dull, lifeless glaze, and his arms were limp at his side. Kamakura kept his hands around the boy's throat for a few more seconds, ensuring that he was dead, before dropping the body to the floor and wiping the saliva off of his hands. He harshly kicked the boy, and the corpse crumpled into itself and fell to the side.

A sharp pang of regret shot through him, and he jumped to quickly repress the feeling. Hinata couldn't come back, not yet.

He hoisted the body onto his shoulders and walked over to what had been the boy's bed. Gently placing him under the covers, it appeared as though the boy had been sleeping. Marks had yet to form around the boy's throat, and weren't likely to appear for a full day. Anyone searching for him would assume that he was merely sleeping in late.

With his orders complete, Kamakura began heading back to his own room. In the morning, he would allow Hinata to regain control of their body, and join in the chaos that would inevitably unfold. Junko's plans had been simple enough, and he agreed with her that the event would bring great despair to everyone.

" _Kill the Ultimate Hope." she had whispered wickedly._

He had done it.

Makoto Naegi was dead.


End file.
